Polymers are often useful for applications requiring excellent strength, durability, temperature stability, and chemical stability. However, even during standard use, polymers may become damaged as a result of dents, knicks, and the like. Such damage often decreases an expected usage life of a polymer.
Shape-memory polymers may be specifically useful for applications requiring temperature-dependent, i.e., thermally-activated, transitions between a first, permanent shape and a second, temporary shape. The temperature-dependent transitions generally occur at a specific transformation temperature based on a composition of the shape-memory polymer.